AND

• Main Authors: Thorkil E. Hallas, Bjarni E. Gudleifsson
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Key words; hayfields; Iceland; mite; Neozygites; Penthaleus; prostigmata; Subarctic; Mite
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.542.3131; http://www.landbunadur.is/landbunadur/wgsamvef.nsf/8bbba2777ac88c4000256a89000a2ddb/aee13f7ea8036bea00256fee00315ce5/$FILE/Gr-bu16-17-TEH.pdf

The winter grain mite Penthaleus major (Dugés) is now occasionally observed as a summer pest in the cold temperate zone, especially in subarctic hayfields. The life cycle of the mite was studied from pitfall trappings in 19 hayfields at 10 farms in Eyjafjordur in northern Iceland throughout the summers of 1996- 1998. Eggs, larval stage, three nymphal stages and the female adult stage were observed. Peak occur-rences of the nymph stages and young adults were registered in mid-June. Two annual generations were observed, a summer generation and a winter generation, which goes through winter hibernation and resumes activity in early spring when the snow melts. A model for the progression of stages and sizes throughout the year in a subarctic environment is presented.